Birmingham Cartridge Manufacturers, The

Traditionally more ammo was made in Birmingham in the United Kingdom than anywhere else. The manufacturers there included the most illustrious names in the Empire, and their shells were used for tigers in India, ptarmigan in the Yukon, and the war against the Mahdi in Khartoum. This in-depth review of the former munitions companies in Birmingham includes a social history as well as definitive information on shotgun and metallic cartridge production across a huge range of products. It gives examples of their related patents and head stamps. The book is profusely illustrated with cartridge photographs as well as historical picture of the plants and the staff. The author traces the rise and fall of the ammo companies as they sought to keep up with the time. Demand was fuelled by both home and overseas wars and the needs of the sporting market, which led the companies to diversify into many different calibers and loads. Among the many companies covered by the book are such names as BSA, Westley Richards, Kynoch, W.W. Greener, and The Midland Gun Company. Most of their ammunition production is now all but forgotten, but it is well recorded here in this detailed work. 282pp.